Healthy and Delicious 2 Ingredient Cherry Frozen Yogurt

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I'll confess: I'm addicted to ice cream. Not as a once in a while treat, not just in the summertime. I eat it nearly every day, often twice a day. Lately I've been trying to swap out some of those sweet treats with something healthier, and I've found such a delicious substitute that I'm not missing the real deal (much).

It's cherry frozen yogurt, and it's so much tastier than the sugary, goodness-knows-what-sort-of-ingredients type of frozen yogurt you get from the store and those self-serve places. I am no kind of health nut, and I do not subscribe to any kind of diet or restrictive eating plan (other than being a vegetarian, but that's not really for health reasons).

But I try to eat mostly healthy, most of the time.

Chunky, yummy, guilt-free frozen yogurt

Just two ingredients for all this luciousness

I try to eat a lot of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lighter dairy products. This frozen yogurt fits in delightfully.

You do not need any special equipment, just any food processor or blender that can handle frozen items. I do have a high-end blender, a Vitamix, which I love. But I don't blend this frozen yogurt all the way to smooth, because I like it a little bit chunky. So you don't need to have a top of the line blender. The froyo is thick, so I use this spatula to get every yummy bit out.

I don't follow a strict recipe, I'm more of a handful of this, a dollop of that kind of cook. But I'll do the best I can to quantify this recipe. Of course, you can adjust for taste.

2 Ingredient Cherry Frozen Yogurt

1 1/2 cups frozen dark sweet cherries (no additives, just plain cherries from the freezer section)
1/3 cup nonfat greek yogurt, plain or vanilla
(Optional - if using plain yogurt, you may want a tiny splash of sweetener like this or honey)

Blend until ingredients are incorporated, do not overblend. There should still be chunks of cherry. Enjoy!

That's it. It's a very generous portion, and it's under 200 calories!

You can eat it straight out of the blender for a soft-serve consistency. I usually put it in a mug (this double-walled is my favorite as it slows down melting) and stick it in the freezer to firm up just slightly while I clean the blender and the rest of the kitchen. We're talking five to ten minutes. Don't leave it in the freezer much longer than that, as it becomes hard as a rock. Yes, you can freeze it solid and thaw it a bit before eating, but the texture is never quite right again so I don't recommend it.

Feel free to try this with other fruits, I know cherries are naturally high in sugar and a low-sugar berry would be healthier. If you you're feeling extra daring, you can even toss in a little handful of high quality dark chocolate chips at the very end of blending (because you want visible chocolate chunks, not specks) for a "Cherry Garcia" sort of vibe. My photos show the cherries-only version.

Enjoying froyo out on the deck

The lovely color is even more vivid in the sunlight

OPI Just Lanai-ing Around for Perfect Soft Summer Nails

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Hello beautiful readers! First off, I must apologize for my extremely long absence on this blog. I have no excuse, I just lost motivation but I am back and hope to be posting regularly.

This post is aimed primarily at Soft Summers, or anyone who looks and feels their best in cool-to-neutral muted shades.

OPI is a popular, well-known nail polish brand. It boasts a wide range of colors and is pretty consistent in its quality. Two coats sandwiched between your base coat and top coat will generally do the trick.

Once in a while, I run across a nail polish shade that is so perfectly Soft Summer, I can actually use my nails as a "fan" when I shop. OPI's Just Lanai-ing Around is one of those shades. It's that perfect muted pinky-purply mauve shade I'm always looking for in my blush, lipstick, clothing, and accessories. I have quite a few tops nearing this shade and I'd love to find a purse this color! Just Lanai-ing Around is pretty close to 6.4 on the classic Soft Summer 12tone fan.

Just Lanai-ing Around has a nice formula; not too thick nor too thin. My brush was a little wonky, with one hair sticking straight up. Otherwise, it's a typical OPI brush which is nicely shaped for a quick and easy manicure. It dried quickly with my quick-dry topcoat and drops. Unfortunately, I'm already seeing some tip wear on day 3, though no chips yet. I am using a nail hardening base coat and a quick drying top coat; I'm not sure those are the best for nail color longevity. On day 4, I was able to patch up the tips a bit and I slapped on another top coat to eek a couple more days out of my mani. At any rate, the color is so gorgeous and goes with my coloring and my whole wardrobe perfectly. The color is just ... yummy.

It's not a new color, so you may be able to find it at a discount store near you. I found mine at a Tuesday Morning. You can find OPI Just Lanai-ing Around on Amazon here:

Apple Watch: Where Fashion Meets Technology

I tried to resist buying the Apple Watch, I really did. Who, after all, needs a computer on their wrist? Well, no one, but I'm an Apple fangirl at heart, so I placed my order.

Then it arrived, and I fell in love so quickly that it surprised even me. I'll say it again before I dive in, no one needs an Apple Watch. No one needs a Keurig machine to make coffee, either. I save only seconds, maybe a couple of minutes in prep work and cleanup each day using K-cups rather than brewing ground coffee. Nor does anyone need diamonds, or jewelry, or designer bags/shoes/clothes. Still, there is a basic pleasure in indulging in life's little luxuries sometimes. The Apple Watch is highly individual. If you ask five different people what they like about it, you'll get five different answers. If you're interested in what I like about the Apple Watch, personally, read on.

Photo from StyleCaster

I love Apple's aesthetic, the clean lines and rounded edges. Now I can wear it on my wrist. Though it's hard to tell from my sunset picture at the top, I have the same watch as the model just above. I love the shiny stainless steel casing. The white band probably wouldn't be my first choice for daily use, but it's neutral, and I plan to collect some third-party watch bands in "my colors" to supplement it. It definitely makes a statement. No one said a word about my Movado watch in the 15 years I wore it (other than "How do you read that thing?"); but people notice the Apple Watch. I expect this will change once it's been around for a while, but being an early adopter means getting comments and questions.

I enjoy being able to change the very face of the watch. In my top photo, I confirmed that yes, the sun was indeed setting when the watch told me it was. :) I've included some of my favorite faces below, but there are more, and more features and options within each one. Rather than choosing one favorite face, I move between them as my mood (and my outfit) dictates.

While all of this is very nice, the real reason for the Apple Watch is its functionality. I won't try to outline all of its features here, but I have a few favorites.

I had a FitBit prior to the Apple Watch, and I liked how it kept me accountable and helped me make sure I moved at least 10,000 steps per day. The Apple Watch takes it a step further with its three circles. In order to fill all three circles each day, you have to 1) exercise at least 30 minutes 2) burn a certain number of moving calories (determined by your age, gender, height, weight, and activity level) and 3) stand and move around for at least one minute of every hour for 12 hours. Getting those circles closed each day is quite motivating, and I do find myself moving more, not just working out and then spending most of the rest of the day on the couch.

The camera remote is a nice touch. I set up my iPhone wherever, then tap my wrist and smile! Instant selfie or group photo without the outstretched arm (or dreaded selfie stick).

I use the iPhone's GPS to get around, and the Apple Watch adds an extra layer of assistance. Wrist taps tell me which way to turn, in case I miss the spoken directions from the phone.

The notifications have really helped me stop looking at my phone so much. If I'm expecting a call, or a text, or an email, I don't have to keep pulling out and booting up my phone to see if anything's happening. A gentle tap to my wrist tells me something important is going on, and a split second glance tells me if it's something that needs my immediate attention or not. As a result, I'm not worried every second about my phone being on my person. I leave it in my purse or on the charger and go about my day. When I'm out to dinner, I don't keep my phone on the table in case one my kids is trying to reach me anymore. I won't miss anything.

The complications on some of the watch faces give me split second access to my activity levels, the date, the weather, my next appointment, and of course, the time. There are lots of other options to add, but those are my favorites.

I haven't even gotten into the apps, but I consider those secondary. If I'm going to go digging around into apps, I'll usually pull out my phone. It's the quick stuff I really enjoy on my Apple Watch.

So is there a killer feature? No, not really. But all of the little things add up to something I really enjoy wearing.

The Best Face Wash I've Found for Cleansing Skin and Removing Makeup in One Step

I've tried quite a few face washes over the past year or so, which I've like to varying degrees. I have combination skin. I tend to get oily in the usual places (my T-zone, plus the middle of my cheeks) and dry around my mouth area, especially in the winter. I wouldn't call my skin overly sensitive, but I do tend to break out if a product doesn't agree with me, and I do have a bit of rosacea. I do like a cleanser that makes my skin feel clean but not taut and dry. I also like to wash my face and remove my makeup in one step, rather than having to use a separate makeup remover. And price matters to me as well.

Here are some of the ones I've tried recently:

I'd heard that Cetaphil was very gentle, so I gave it a shot. Surprisingly, I did not particularly like it. It left my skin rather taut, plus it seemed to exacerbate my rosacea. And it did not remove much of my eye makeup at all.

Next, I tried Garner Clean + Makeup Removing Lotion Cleanser. I didn't like this one at ALL. It felt waxy in my hands, waxy on my face, and did not do a good job of removing my eye makeup.

I got a free sample of Clinique's Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser. I do like this one, and will continue to use the free samples that often come in their Gift with Purchase bags. It feels luxurious to the touch, and I like how it makes my skin feel - soft. It doesn't do a perfect job of removing eye makeup, but pretty close. It is, however, pretty expensive, so I kept looking for one I could buy at the drugstore.

I finally found a drugstore cleanser I really like. Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser is reasonably priced and does the job. This one leaves my skin soft and doesn't aggravate it. It's still not perfect at removing every bit of eye makeup, but it's the closest I've found. I did try another cleanser in this line and didn't like it as well. This will be my go-to cleanser from now on.

What's your favorite face wash?

You Say You Want a Revolution....Gray

I just wanted to give a shout out to Revolution Gray and thank them for including me on their fabulous list of 25 "Gray Hair" Bloggers Who Rock - 2015 Edition.

It's so flattering to be noticed at all, not to mention being grouped with so many fabulous ladies. If you haven't already, you should also check out their 25 "Gray Hair" Bloggers Who Rock - 2013 Edition. Some of those ladies provided me with much needed inspiration to take my own silver journey.

Comparing My Jeweltone Summer Zyla Palette with Soft Summer Sci/Art Colors

Well, now I have two separate palettes from two completely different sources - well-regarded experts, both, but not systems intended to go together.

My Zyla palette is Jeweltone Summer. My Sci/Art palette is Soft Summer. So, how do they fit together?

I photographed them side by side:

Left: Soft Summer - Right: Jeweltone Summer

You can see some similarities but they aren't identical. Overall, I think the Zyla colors are just a touch brighter than the Soft Summer ones, but that may be due in part to the Sci/Art palette being fabric and the Zyla one being paper. Let's take a closer look at each Zyla color.

The Tranquil colors are pretty close to the purple SSu strips.

Energy fits in pretty darn well with SSu, those blued sea foam green shades.

I think Dramatic is a decent match, the darker shades in particular.

There is no true match for my Essence shades. But do they harmonize?

                                   
                       

                                       The Romantic shades are a near-perfect match for my favorite pink strip (6.1).

First Base fits right in, the darker shades particularly.

Second Base is a good match, too, especially the darker one.

Third Base really don't fit in - it's greener than any of my beiges.

Here are my Pastels and Metals. They're mostly pretty good, maybe a bit brighter.

So, what do I do with all of this? My plan is to use both. I'll especially look for the colors that exist on both palettes. If I find an item that fits the Zyla palette perfectly but really isn't on the SSu palette at all, I'll simply do what I was instructed to do when shopping with my fan in the first place: Thwap! In other other words, open up the fan, thwap it down on the item, and look at it. Do I see harmony, or does the item make the fan look dingy? Do they work together to bring out the best in one another, or does the fan make the item look garish? It's hard to tell if two sets of color strips harmonize. I really need to take it on a case by case, carefully examining each garment and comparing it to my palettes before I buy it.

Another way to think of it is to consider my Sci/Art fan to be an extension of my Zyla colors. After all, if both David and Christine are as accurate as they are reputed to be, then both palettes really are ME, and either one should bring out my best.

How do I like them, and which do I like better? I really do like them both. There are certainly colors on each that it would have never occurred to be to try (that Essence peach, the pale First Base sage, the greeny SSu yellow), but now I will if I can find them in stores. It did take me time to adjust to the muted tones of the SSu palette, since I tend to gravitate towards brighter, more saturated tones. My Zyla colors are ever so slightly brighter than my SSu tones, which I like.

I've only been shopping a couple of times since I saw David Zyla, and what I did was LOOK for the Zyla colors, but double checked everything with my SSu fan. In the future, I know there will be times when I NEED to buy something and maybe don't have time to hunt down an exact Zyla shade. Or, I will fall in love with an item that just isn't on the Zyla palette at all. I don't think the Zyla palette is meant to be exclusive, as in I should ONLY live in those couple dozen colors. So when I can't find Zyla, I'll use my SSu fan instead. It's not that I like Zyla's colors better, it's more that I think of them as my "sweet spot." While I may still buy things not pictured in my Zyla set, I will not buy anything that doesn't suit the SSu palette.

Do you have palettes from different systems? How do you use them? In concert, or have you chosen one over the other?

David Zyla Told Me That I Am a Jeweltone Summer!

Karen's Jeweltone Summer Palette

Ok, so I'm not keeping you in suspense. That's my archetype. And above, you can see the palette he put together for me. I posted previously about who David Zyla is and my experience seeing him. Here are my results, in minute detail:

Romantic - the color of my fingertips, the color I blush - my version of red, sexy, vitality, one of the most powerful colors to wear. For me: a cool winter raspberry - don’t warm it!

Essence - skin color - my version of white, nude. Most subtle thing to wear, vulnerable

Energy - the darkest part of my iris (but not the ring) - friendly, approachable, present, I’m here

Tranquil - the lightest part of my iris - mellow, chill. For me: a cool lilac.

Dramatic - the color of the veins in my wrist - kaboom, look at me! Guest of honor. It’s the opposite of romantic on color wheel.

First Base - taken from the ring around my iris - formal neutral, my version of black. LBD, coat. For me: Charcoal.

Second Base - the darkest part of my hair - everyday neutral - my version of brown. For me: Red Plum/Aubergine.

Third Base - the lightest part of my hair - informal neutral - my version of khaki. For me: Pale Sage

Pastels - lighter versions of the above colors. Great for summer clothes, bathing suits, and home decor. For me: stay away from white or anything icy. 

Metals - metallic versions of the above colors. Use for jewelry, belt buckle, pen, business card case, metallic thread running through a scarf. For me: silvers and platinums, metallic versions of my colors.

Notice there is no true blue - it goes a little cold on me - he doesn’t like it as well. There is blue in the greens and lilacs. No brown, yellow, or orange, either.

Wearing an outfit with bases only will be pretty but it won’t have much impact. Use a pop of color.

My personality (and I think he is dead on with this):

I get along with men but stay feminine  

I have a strong energy but still feminine  

I have a nurturing management style but not coddling  

My children are getting a realistic view of the world - I’m not doing their homework for them, but I set limits to make sure they succeed

I am: Jeweltone Summer! Hyperfeminine but still strong

Overall: 

Always an element of drape, but streamlined overall (this is TMIT)

Drapes and wraps - for example, wrap dress, faux wrap top, waterfall sweater, pashmina (with dressy dress)

Roman updated - but not Grecian, that’s too wispy. Roman is stronger

Unbroken lines - top flows into the bottom - don’t color block, don’t end at the waist

Dresses are great

If separates: tie the top to the bottom with a scarf or jewelry containing both colors

I have elongated curves - like a stretched out hourglass - and my clothes should be elongated

Only one element of wrap/drape at a time, overall look should be streamlined. Eileen Fisher is too drape-y

Nothing rustic! (Rustic: tweed, heavy knit sweater, birks, whipstich, distressed)

Classical, cleaner

Clothes that look like you took a piece of fabric and wrapped it around me and it just stayed - fabulous

Patterns: 

Ovals

Painterly effects

Pointillist - confetti - looks like a solid from a distance, but up close it’s dots of different colors

Saturated

Prints should be no larger than palm of hand

Avoid anything cartoonish

Avoid hard contrast - keep tones similar

If there are “bad” colors in the pattern, then draw out the “good” colors with another item of clothing

40’s style:

Like high waisted pant, fluid leg, hollywood pant, side/back zip, no belt loop, with a fitted top (brands: Layfayette 140, Ann Taylor)

Silk Jumpsuit with a heeled roman sandal (designer: Kathryn Malendrino) - simple in shape, no metal hardware

Avoid menswear

Fabrics:

Jersey, suede, silk velvet, cashmere, mohair, crepe, crepe de cine, georgette crepe

NO men’s cotton shirt, or tweed

Suits:

Tricky! 

Separates or a dress are better for me

Jacket/blazer:

Always show waist

Single button

Go in at waist, end at hip

No collar (that notched, angled look is not good) 

Maybe a soft belt that ties like a bathrobe

Dresses:

Wrap dress is ideal - Lauren by Ralph Lauren makes a nice jersey faux wrap in a bunch of colors every season (packable, dress up or down)

No shift dress - that’s too plain for me

Example of a cocktail dress:-high waisted, crepe on the bottom and chiffon on the top

Skirts:

To middle of knee

Wrap skirts

High waisted pencil skirt, top tucked in

Perhaps a four inch trumpet

No pleats

No gathers at the waist

Pants:

Boot cut when they’re in style

Side/back zip

High waisted

If not high waisted, then wear long shirt

Instead of jeans, go for brushed cotton, twill

Look for luster, pile, velvet

Cords only if very fine wale

Denim is too flat and masculine

Brand: DKNY often does velvet jeans at the holidays

Blouses/shirts/tops:

Crossover jersey/faux wrap

Length - high hip - (well below the waist)

Sweaters:

Cowl neck (lovely with skinny pants)

Waterfall cardigan (lovely with a watercolor print blouse under) 

Purses:

Buttery, like calf skin - not patent leather

Shape - no drawstring, need some structure. Bottom wider than top is nice. Double handle

If crossbody purse, it should be really small.

Shorts:

Bermuda 

Capris:

Should stop at the ankle, not mid-calf (if I must!)

Casual:

“Jeans" made out of a beautiful twill with a cowl neck sweater

Gym: Luxe, terrycloth Juicy Couture-type pant with tank top  

Shoes:

Sandal with thin straps is great

Soft V or elongated oval - not pointy or round

Comfortable brand: Arche - they make stretch grosgrain.

Avoid hard horizontal, like a strap across the ankle

For tennis shoes - look for slip-ons, or laces that are the same color as the shoe so they “disappear” (lacing is rustic)

Boots - suede in the charcoal or aubergine

Coats:

Hood - drapes softly around the face

Draped collar 

Hidden buttons

Self belt (like a bathrobe)

Softly structured

If must get a down coat - get in Romance color! (try LL Bean)

For raincoat: pearlized, iridescent (try London Fog or Sanyo)

Sleeves:

Short short (not bustline length - that widens the bust)

3/4 length sleeves but not with capris (with capris, wear short sleeves instead)

Long sleeves - ideally really long, onto the hand

Bell sleeve sweater is nice (fitted at the top of the arm, ends in bell)

Neckline:

Softened V is perfect, echoes my chin

Draped neckline

Scoop and crossover also very good

Shorter, harder Vs are ok

portrait not as good

No crew neck

Jewelry:

Glassier-looking

Pink Tourmaline, Amethyst

Pink pearls but not freshwater (those aren’t formed/refined enough)

No turquoise or catsite or anything veined or rough or unfinished - too rustic

Necklaces:

Oval, teardrop pendants are great

Longer length necklaces, not collarbone

Layer two necklaces, say, long strand of beads and a shorter pendant/medallion

Or long necklace with beads and metals

But not heavy or chunky

Earrings:

Oval studs

White gold, open in the middle

Designers: Rebecca Norman, Melissa Joy Manning

Bracelets:

Never a cuff

Three thin bangles are nice

If it’s an inch wide or wider, it should be filigree - open work, not thick/solid/chunky

Rings:

More oval than square

This is a good place to bring in colored stones, perhaps in tones of a color

Watches:

Bracelet watch

Pearlized face is better than black or white

Open work bracelet-type band

Scarves:

Cowl neck is fantastic

Linen, translucent for summer

Avoid Hermes twill silk

Wool shalley

Wider, longer scarves - to cowl and create drama

Not shiny

Not small and perky

Belts:

Soft belt like bathrobe

Or skinny belt to define waist

Covered buckle - don’t want to see spokes and holes - it should end cleanly

Glasses:

Silver frames, or any of my metals - he really likes the metals for me

Clear plastic frame

Clear with silver flecks

Second base color - aubergine

The bases and metals blend more with my hair.

Or for more of a statement, really any of my colors, dramatic, tranquil, energy, romantic. Energy and tranquil really pulls out my eyes!

Don’t go any wider than my current pair in the temple - if too wide, you can see the arms and they compete with the eyes

Slight angle to the lens shape, not a total oval

If I go with color, it should be mottled light and dark like my purple/blue pair, not a solid color

Current lens size is perfect (I’d call it medium)

Hats:

Winter: Skullcap-style knit beret - symmetrical all the way around

Variegated in color - a combo of my colors

Maybe a brim, but fun and floppy, 70’s style - do a straw version of this in summer

Gloves:

Long - past the wrist

Hair: 

Don’t go shorter than jaw or longer than shoulder (that would be too languid)

Do go shorter in the back - if longer in the back, it would drag my head back.

Slight layering

Nails:

Any of the colors in my palette, but he pointed out essence, metallic, and pale romantic

Makeup:

Foundation/Powder: Essence

Lip/Blush: Romantic

Charcoal eyeliner (1st base) - the softer one

For variety: aubergine eyeliner (2nd base)

Eyeshadow: 3rd base over eye

For evening out eyeshadow: a little bit of energy or tranquil

Good brands for me: Shisedo for eyes, Dior for lips - the french brands go cooler

Stores/Websites good for me:

Diane Von Furstenberg for wrap dress

Kettlewell (UK) - lovely wrap sweaters and wrap dresses

Talbots (just a few pieces there - will take some hunting - 80% of the store is not good)

J. Jill

Ann Taylor 

Ann Taylor Loft 

Other questions I asked:

Will my palette change over time? It may mellow and soften a bit. I may find someday that the darkest shade no longer works, and will want to go with the lighter ones.

Why several variations of each? To give me options. The deepest color is the most potent. You can use any color in between the chips themselves.

In my next post, I'll go into detail comparing this with my Sci/Art designation.